The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #163812   Message #3913314
Posted By: Steve Gardham
26-Mar-18 - 02:23 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Let No Man Steal Your Time / Thyme
Subject: RE: Origins: Let No Man Steal Your Time / Thyme
Here is a related piece printed in Darlington c1776. I have other quite different versions of this which perhaps is different enough to be regarded as a separate song.
From: A Garland Containing Six excellent NEW SONGS, The Lillies of France, Sailor Jack, Nancy Dawson, The Posie of Thyme, Kitty Fell, God Save the King.                Licenced and entered according to Order.

The Posie of Thyme

It was in the merry Month of May,
When the Flowers were all in their Prime!
A pretty damsel young and gay,
Was gathering a Posie of Thyme.

As sure as the Thyme grows wild,
In April, May and June.
My dearest Love has proved to me unkind,
And has ruin’d me quite in my Bloom.

But since he is gone to Sea,
And blasted my youthful prime,
I never more shall have ease;
So I will wear the Posie of Thyme.

In the County of Stafford I was born,
Near Newcastle under line;(sic)
Pretty maidens they laugh me to scorne,
For wearing the Posie (of) Thyme.

The Time it goes swiftly away,
And the Tide for no man will stay,
May the Time and the Tide with him side,
And send my dear Love from the Sea.

May the Heavens protect him from Harm,
Be his Gaurdian (sic) ye Angels devine (sic);
For if I had my dear Baby in my Arms,
I wou’d wander the length of my Time.

Hugh Stephenson give ear to my Moan,
Since you’ve brought my Complaints into Ryme,
Since my dearest Love have prov’d unkind,
I am weary Woman weary of my Time.

To all Pleasures I will bid adue (sic),
And my sorrows to you I’ll resign,
Since my dearest Love hav prov’d unkind,
I am weary Woman weary of my Time.